smilingrid: Sweet Egg Custard Buns Recipe (Lai Wong Bao)

Wow, it has been forever and a day since I posted a recipe on here! So, I guess it only makes sense for me to get back into the swing of the deliciousness with a treat I've been wanting to know how to make since freshman year!

A big group of my freshman year gal pals and I went to China town for some super authentic dim sum. While there, Megan and I were introduced to our deliciously shared obsession: Lai Wong Bao. It's this dumpling-like pastry with egg custard on the inside... and we each ate multiple baskets of them! SO. GOOD.

So, when I stumbled across a similar delicacy that was easy to make on My Singapore Kitchen, I jumped alllll over the chance to put some homemade Lai Wong Bao in my and my roomie's bellies!

For the bread dough:

Bread flour- 2 cups
Egg- ½ (keep the rest for the egg wash)
Sugar- ¼ cup
Salt- ¼ tsp
Butter- 2 tbsp
Yeast- 1 tsp
Milk pwd- 1 tbsp (I used actual milk and it all turned out fine!)
Warm Water- ½ - ¾ cup
Olive Oil- 2 tbsp

For the custard:

Egg yolks- 2
Sugar- 1/3 cup
Plain flour- ¼ cup
Corn flour- 1 tbsp
Butter- 2 tbsp
Salt- 1 pinch
Milk- 1 cup
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Definitely start by assembling the ingredients: separate your egg yolks, warm your milk, find wherever your yeast has hidden since you last needed it!

To make your dough:

1) Mix everything together other than your oil and butter (flour, egg, sugar, salt, yeast, milk/milk powder, warm water) until loosely combined.

2) Add your butter and knead for 10 minutes or until elastic/soft.

3) Drizzle on the oil, cover the bowl, and set aside in a warm place while you craft your custard!

To make your custard:

1) Warm the milk in a sauce pan (slash whatever kind of pan you have! non-stick would be a huuuuge plus here!)

2) Beat the egg yolks until pale, then add the sugar and flours.

3) Add the yolk-y mix, salt, and vanilla to the milk, whisking until incorporated. Then, melt the butter into the whole thing, still whisking away!

Now, combine the two! Grab a ball of dough, flatten it, dollop the custard in the middle, fold the edges of the dough over it until you've got perfect little packets of yum!